How To Nap

As a life long lover of naps I find it hard to understand when people tell me they can’t nap! But I know it’s true, many exhausted new mums say they find it really hard to sleep during the day.

My neuroscience teacher Sarah McKay says:

“Taking a 20-minute power nap improves memory and learning, sparks creativity and regulates emotions.”

Here’s how:

Set A 20 Minute Timer

The secret to good napping is to set an alarm for 20 minutes. If you sleep longer than that you’ll enter deeper sleep and wake up feeling groggy and disorientated.

I’m so experienced at napping now that I naturally wake up right before my alarm. Practice makes perfect!

Relax

If you find it hard to switch off try doing a yoga nidra.

You all know breastfeeding is designed to feed a baby to sleep, but it’s also designed to feed a mum to sleep. Feed your baby lying down and let the hormones do their thing.

This will help your mind and body deeply relax, hopefully leading to sleep!

Let go of the pressure of trying or thinking you should sleep, and just relax and take a moment to wind down. Even if you don’t sleep, you’ve still shifted down a gear or two in the right direction.

Get Your Mindset On Board

Reflect on your unconscious beliefs about napping.

• Do you secretly feel like you don’t deserve it?

• Does napping make you feel like a failure or a wimp?

• Do you think napping is only for lazy people?

• What messages about sleeping during the day have you grown up with that might be preventing your mind and body from getting the rest it so desperately needs?

Still need convincing?

Don’t take it from me, listen to a brain scientist! Watch this TED talk on napping here.